Follow the Light
by Lady of Misrule
Summary: Thea's life and Starling City have been threatened by the League of Assasins, in exchange Oliver has agreed to fight Ras Al Gul in a battle to the death. Based on the Promo for 3x09.


_It started out as a feeling_

_Which then grew into a hope_

_Which then turned into a quiet thought_

_Which then turned into a quiet word_

* * *

><p>"Felicity…"<p>

"It's a duel." She repeated, her voice faltering ever so slightly as she raised tear drenched eyes to his, "With one of the most dangerous men who has ever walked the earth."

And just like that, the dull ache that had settled in the pit of his stomach, the moment he'd come over to tell her what he'd decided, rose to a vicious burn that seared through his very soul as he watched her valiantly fight back tears.

* * *

><p><em>And then that word grew louder and louder<em>

_'Til it was a battle cry_

_I'll come back when you call me_

_No need to say goodbye_

* * *

><p>It took Oliver, just about every ounce of his patented icy self control to not step forward and jerk her into his arms and hold on to her just one last time before he left.<p>

For a second, Oliver closed his eyes and felt his fist clench convulsively as the words he had told Barry back in Central City ran through his mind. 'Guy's like _us_ …don't get the girl.'

But the pain lacing through her eyes until she turned sharply away from him told him what he had been scared to risk even hoping before. She was his. She was _his._ In every way that mattered. She was already his.

He already had her.

As much as he wanted more for her, she had already made her choice. And she'd chosen him. Even when he had done nothing to deserve it – she had chosen him.

* * *

><p><em>Just because everything's changing<em>

_Doesn't mean it's never been this way before_

_All you can do is try to know who your friends are_

_As you head off to the war_

* * *

><p>He'd already known that he was hers.<p>

From the day he'd walked into her office, to today. It was always her. _She _was the light. His light. His humanity even. She was his salvation.

Looking back up, Oliver allowed his eyes to carefully trace the curve of her bent shoulders, till they were resting on the curtain of hair she was hiding behind.

* * *

><p><em>Pick a star on the dark horizon <em>

_and follow the light_

* * *

><p>He'd followed her home today, because he needed to say goodbye to her. Alone.<p>

Just to say goodbye.

For that one last memory to sustain him. Even now, with the knowledge of what she felt for him seared to the forefront of his mind, he knew that, goodbye was all he could allow tonight to be. Words.

And he'd said them all. Carefully unclenching his hands as he reached for his polished veneer of icy detachment as he steeled himself to leave, Oliver reached for the latch on her door, the soft click ominously loud in the resounding silence that surrounded them.

* * *

><p><em>You'll come back when it's over<em>

_No need to say goodbye_

_You'll come back when it's over_

_No need to say goodbye_

* * *

><p>"<em>Promise me<em>?"

For the briefest moment time stood still.

Until, he realized that the beautiful, brave woman he was aching to hold just once last time, had come up behind him, her hand now covering his on the latch as she begged hoarsely, "_Please_."

* * *

><p><em>Now we're back to the beginning<em>

_It's just a feeling and no one knows yet_

_But just because they can't feel it too_

_Doesn't mean that you have to forget_

_Let your memories grow stronger and stronger_

_'Til they're before your eyes_

* * *

><p>His hand now cradling hers as he turned swiftly around and drew her to him, Oliver wondered just what it was he had done to deserve this moment of fleeting completeness. Unable to find an answer, he allowed his hand to tug her ever so slightly to fit into him, as he lowered his lips to the worry lines marring her forehead.<p>

"I _promise_."

* * *

><p><em>You'll come back when they call you<em>

_No need to say goodbye_

* * *

><p>AN: That trailer just about killed me! Let me know what you thought of my take in the reviews!


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